Sign-staff



(No ModeL) 0. FOGGf SIGN STAFF.

No. 518,780. Patented Apr. 24, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

GEORGE O. FOGG, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGN-STAFF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,780, dated April 24,18 Aprliwtion filed Januarv4,1894. Serial No.495,64=4=. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. Foes, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sign-Staffs, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention apperta ns to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs, forming part of this specification, in WhlGll- Figurel is an elevation showing my improved sign-staff attached to a saddle; Fig. 2 a like view showing the application of the staff to a shoulder-support for persons; and Fig. 3 an. elevation illustrating an alternate use of the staff.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates especially to a staff for supportmg signs for advertising purposes on horse-back, from a vehicle or on the body of a person bearing the same, the object being to relieve friction or galling action induced by the vibration of the sign.

In the drawings, A represents the sign-plate or board, B a saddle and O the staff. The staff comprises a rod, d, wound in one or more coils to form a spring, f, a determined distance from the support and at a determined distance from the sign-plate wound again to form a spring, said springs being arranged vertically and at an angle to each other, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the application of the device to a saddle a fork, g, is employed which is secured by bolts, h, to the pommel or horn of the saddle. Asocket,t, is secured to the shank of the fork and the staff, 0, inserted in said socket and held by a set-screw, j. A similar socket, k, is mounted on the upper-end of the staff and a two-arm bracket, m, of any suitable design is held by a set-screw, p, in said socket. The sign-plate, A, is secured to said arm. As thus supported the sign may be carried by a rider on horse-back. The movements of the horse lmpartlng a swaying motion to the sign, were the stafi rigid, would cause the saddle to chafe and make sore the horses back. This obj ectlon 1s practically overcome by the interposisecured in said socket.

tion of the springs, f, f in the staff which permits substantially a universal movement'- to the sign-plate and relieves the strain at the base from the swaying of said plate. As shown, there are two coils in the staff arranged vertically. One or more, however, may be employed, and said coils may be horizontal or pitched at any angle without departing from the spirit of my invention,a salient feature of which comprises the interposition of a spring coil in a sign-staff.

Fig. 2 shows an alternative method of sup porting the staff on the shoulders of a bearer. In this form the socket, 'i, is mounted on a fork, g sufficiently large to astride the head of the personand bear on the shoulders. The

ends of the fork-arm are mounted in shoulder-irons, 1, which are secured by a belt, 15, around the waist of the bearer.

In Fig. 3 still another form is shown, the lower end of the staff being mounted in loops or sockets, o, secured to the boot.

The staff may be also mounted in a suitable support on any form of a vehicle, the springs acting in the manner described to relieve the strain. The staff may be formed of wood with interposed metallic springs instead of constructed of a single bar.

Other forms of spring acting at an angle to each other may be substituted for the coils shown, if preferred, and the spring may be interposed between the ends of the staff and the sign-plate or base support.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is i r 1. A sign-staff comprisinga rod having a portion thereof coiled to form a spring, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. A sign staff having portions thereof coiled to form two springs arranged at an angle to each other, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the staff, 0, coiled to form the springs, f, f, arranged at an angle to each other, of a forked base-support provided with a socket in which said staff is detachably secured; a socket on the upper end of said staff; and a sign bracket detachably GEORGE O. FOGG. Witnesses:

K. DURFEE, O. M. SHAW. 

